Recipe: I know I know, fall is over. But I do love pumpkin and it looks so pretty on the table! These may have actually stolen the crown of my favorite rolls: honey wheat rolls. As usual, I made these in the bread machine because #1 It’s faster and #2 bread actually turns out better from a bread machine. So, the dough came out of the bread machine “Dough Cycle” a little sticky, but an 1/8 cup of flour on the board fixed that problem. I loved the yeast flavor and the bright orange pumpkin color. The pumpkin flavor is not prominent at all. I love pumpkin and didn’t really taste the flavor of the pumpkin. The rolls are nice and soft. Stored in a plastic bag, they kept for several days. Kids and hubby approved!
Note! You can make any kind of bread with this dough! It isn’t just for rolls. Though you could shape them into knot rolls. You can bake this as a loaf of bread, roll it out for cinnamon rolls or braid it.
Pumpkin Yeast Bread
yield 2 loaves – 9×5 size; or 48 small rolls/ 24 large rolls
**Cut recipe in half for the bread machine**
1/2 cup warm water
2 packages (2 Tb.) active dry yeast (I used instant Platinum Red Star Yeast; or Bread Machine yeast would work, too.)
2/3 cup warm milk
2 large eggs, beaten
1 and 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (like from a can)
2 Tb. vegetable oil
6 and 1/2 cups AP flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1. For the bread machine: Make sure to cut recipe in half. Add the ingredients per the instructions on your machine and set it on the “dough cycle”. My machine states to add all of the liquid ingredients first and then pile on the dry ingredients (except the yeast). Once in a pile, poke a small hole in the top with your finger and fill the hole with the yeast. Do Step 5 and 7.
2. For not using a machine: In a great big bowl, mix the yeast and water. Mix in the milk, eggs, pumpkin, oil, 4 cups of the flour, brown sugar, salt and spices. Beat for 2 minutes.
3. Add the rest of the flour – but not all at once. About 1/2 cup at a time until the dough becomes stiff and you can knead it. Knead on floured surface until the dough is smooth.
4. Put into a bowl coated in oil. Cover loosely and rise 1 hour.
5. Get the dough out of the bowl and cut it in half. Shape into rolls or into bread pans or a mixture between 12 rolls and 1 – 9×5 loaf.
6. Put a towel over the dough and rise 45 minutes or until almost double in size.
7. Bake at 375 degrees. 30 minutes for a loaf. 12-15 minutes on rolls depending on their size. Cool slightly and eat!
Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour
